14th Letter: "3 Months Have Come and Gone..."

Dear Family,

Wow, I cant believe that I am here writing again. I swear I say that every time, but it is so true. Time goes by so fast here on the mission. It seems like just yesterday that you guys dropped me off at the MTC. That was fun! haha Well anyways it sounds like things are going pretty good your way. I'm glad!! I can only imagine how Tiff must have felt on the way home from Denver, must have been very uncomfortable. As for me I am doing great!! Staying very busy. There has been a lot of crazy things going on, hopefully I can explain a couple of them. But the work is really starting to progress here in Alamo. I have been praying for progress to start back up. We have always worked really hard, but it has just been hard when no immediate success comes from it. But now we are starting to see it. Which is kinda depressing a little bit because we have no idea of what could happen this weekend in transfer call. Most likely me and Elder Lish are going to be split up. Which is way sad, we have gotten along really well.  So this is what has happened this last week:

 

Sunday!! Elder L Tom Perry, what a special experience!! It was amazing how strong the spirit in the room was as soon as he walked into the chapel. Everyone immediately stood up, and I instantly felt the power of God in the room. He gave a wonderful talk, on how to become self-reliant, and how to develop the characteristic of working hard at a young age. How true and how relevant is this for this day and age were everyone has become so lazy and so dependent on others. That is not how we learn and grow. It was great, I feel very blessed for that opportunity that I had.

 

Monday! So we have FHE at the church every Sunday for whoever wants to come. It is usually a great time we play games and have a short little lesson. It is a great missionary tool. So this day I had one of the most craziest experiences of my life. It was down right crazy!! I hope I can give the story justice. So we had a couple come with there daughter Sierra, their names are Ronnie and Savannah (not married) Ronnie is a member, but one of the biggest drug users in all of Alamo, every time that we go over to their house he is high on the couch, and you can just smell the drugs in the house. But this night they came and it was great to see them there. It was the first time that I had seen Ronnie all there, which was great. We had a great time playing board games. And then right before we were leaving he (Ronnie) said that he needed a blessing. He started telling me about how that morning he had an experience were Heavenly Father showed him the light, and that he needs to shape up his life. He was just bawling the whole time. He explained that he doesn't want to do drugs and other stuff anymore, but he is scared that he is too lost. I had a really heart to heart conversation with him and directed him on what he needs to do if he truly wants this. He said that he has even basically sold his soul to the devil. And has participated in all of that.... And that he was scared that they are really going to attack him if he gives all of that up. So I told him that we would go over and dedicate his home that night. So we went over to their little trailer to bless their home. I knew that it was going to be a crazy experience because of all of the wickedness that had gone on in the home, and it was. We entered their home and knelt down. And immediately Satan started to work on us. Sierra started to freak out saying to me that she was scared to go in the back room because that's where her dad turns into monsters. And then started whispering Satanic things that a 6 year old would or should never know. The whole time I was just praying for the spirit to be with us. So Elder Lish offered the prayer, as soon as it started my body started to tense up. At that moment I know that there was a unseen war in the house. And as soon as he commanded the evil spirits to leave the home. The trailer started to sway. I thought that, that was just my own thinking and kinda ignored it until when we were driving away Elder Croft said that he felt the same thing at the same moment, then Elder Lish said the same thing. I have never felt both spirits so strongly at one moment in time than I did that night. So yesterday we went over and talked with them and they are doing great, he said that he slept through the night and that he had no desire to do drugs all day yesterday. We had a great spiritual lesson with them in which we invited Savannah to be baptized on May 25th and she accepted. It has been a very humbling experience for me as I have seen that Heavenly Father loves all of his children and that the atonement works on even the most violist of sinners. I prayed really hard last night that I would find a scripture to have Ronnie read. I suddenly turned to Alma the youngers experience in Mosiah 27:24-31, and I plan on sharing it with him tonight. Simply amazing how the Lord works if you only allow him to be an influence in your life.

 

Other than that we have seen tons of progression with other families and had 6 new investigators last week. It has been great. The Lord truly does bless us when we are trying our very best, working as hard as we can. I really feel and thank you for all of the prayers that have been offered for me. I appreciate them and desperately need them. Thanks. I truly am doing great!! My testimony has been strengthened so much in just this last week. I'm excited for what the Lord has in store for me in the future, and know that I will try my best with whatever situation arises. 

 

My scripture this week is 2 Nephi 22 (I love it, came upon it one night when I prayed for a scripture to give me strength)

 

Thank you all so much for all that you do for me. And for the examples that you have set for me in my life. I pray for your happiness and joy. Never forget that God is with us all!! :)

 

Love,

Elder Barrus